Roburent Modernises Its Ski Area as Chairlift Prepares to Return

Roburent is entering the new winter season with a major overhaul of its ski infrastructure. A damaged chairlift is being restored, while a long-standing ski tow in the centre of town is being removed to make way for a conveyor belt serving the beginners’ area.

Work is continuing on the Colmè chairlift, which was seriously damaged by a suspected arson attack in August 2024. At the same time, demolition has begun on the Uranio–Giardina ski tow, marking a significant change to the way beginners will access the slopes in the centre of Roburent.

The Colmè lift is the more ambitious of the two projects. The fire damaged the station building and key technical systems, leaving the installation out of service. Repairs to the lift’s control cabin, known as the Garitta, have been completed, although the building still requires new windows and doors.

The next phase of the project is expected to begin shortly and will involve a comprehensive restoration of the installation. Planned work includes rebuilding the electrical system, replacing the cable and completing the other technical operations required before the chairlift can return to service.

The lift’s reopening would restore an important piece of Roburent’s ski infrastructure after more than two years of disruption. For a small mountain resort, the availability of a principal uplift installation can have a direct effect on the number of skiable areas, the experience of visitors and the viability of lessons and local clubs.

While the chairlift is being rebuilt, a different approach is being taken in the centre of the village. On 6 October, contractors began dismantling the Uranio–Giardina ski tow. Its replacement will be a conveyor belt designed to serve the campo scuola, or beginners’ ski area.

The change reflects the needs of first-time skiers. Surface lifts can be effective on steeper or longer beginner slopes, but a conveyor belt offers a simpler and more accessible way for children and novice skiers to reach the top of a short learning area. It also avoids the balance and timing challenges associated with getting on and staying on a traditional ski tow.

The new tapis roulant should help instructors work with beginners more efficiently, particularly during the early stages of lessons. It is also expected to make the central ski area more welcoming to families, for whom ease of access can be as important as the number of kilometres of piste.

Both projects are being supported by more than €1 million in funding awarded by the Piedmont regional government for the modernisation of winter-tourism infrastructure in Roburent. The investment comes as smaller Italian mountain resorts seek to update facilities, improve their appeal to families and make better use of limited ski terrain.

Roburent’s plans are part of a wider challenge facing low- and mid-altitude ski areas across the Alps and northern Apennines. Resorts are having to balance the cost of maintaining older mechanical systems with growing pressure to provide reliable, comfortable and family-friendly facilities. For many smaller destinations, targeted investment in beginner areas and essential lift infrastructure can be more realistic than large-scale expansion.

The two projects also serve different parts of the customer journey. The restored Colmè chairlift is intended to recover wider mountain access and support the ski area as a whole. The conveyor belt, by contrast, focuses on the first steps of learning and on making the village-level offer easier to use.

Their success will depend on the completion of the construction programme, the required technical checks and the weather conditions ahead of the winter season. The report does not confirm a final reopening date for the Colmè chairlift or a precise launch date for the conveyor belt.

For Roburent, however, the direction of travel is clear. One old lift is being removed, another is being brought back to life, and public investment is being used to reshape the resort around modern skiing needs. If the work stays on schedule, visitors this winter should find a ski area with a restored route up the mountain and a more accessible starting point for beginners.